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William Bland Obituary
William Orr Bland
November 10, 1929 - January 18, 2024
Eltopia, Washington - William O. Bland slipped from his earthly bounds on January 18, 2024 at Kadlec Medical Center from complications following a medical procedure. Bill was born November 10, 1929 in Martinez, CA to William and Evelyn Orr Bland. Ancestors from both sides of his family came from Scotland and England to settle in Placerville, California during the Gold Rush. He was very proud to be descended from strong pioneer stock.
He was an only child and spent his youth playing at the neighborhood park, delivering newspapers, biking to the next town to go swimming in the only pool in the county; trapping in the marshes of Cardinez Straits in a dugout canoe he made himself and working on his 32 Ford hot rod.
He bought his first horse in 1944 but soon realized city life was not a place for a horse. So he rode Betty from Martinez to Galt, CA in the Sacramento Valley some 70 miles distance. The trip took him 26 hours stopping along the way to rest the horse and sleeping on the ground. Galt was the location of the McFarland family ranch (on his mother's side) established in 1854 by his great uncle John McFarland, an immigrant from Scotland. Bill spent much of his summers as a young lad at the family farm learning what it took to become a farmer. His ties to the farm ran deep.
After graduation from UC Berkeley in 1952, Bill served two years in the Army as a member of the military police unit at the Presidio in San Francisco. Realizing a childhood dream he began farming on a parcel of the original McFarland/Orr Ranch after he was discharged. The summer of his eighth year of farming he met a young lady from his home town that happened to be visiting in the area. It was love at first sight for both of them. Bill and Carol were married the next spring celebrating 62 years together last February. Together they worked to create something from tired, worn out soil. Bill was the first in the area to use sprinkler irrigation; the first to build spillway dams to store water for irrigation use and the first to plant a walnut orchard.
Bill farmed in Galt for 30 years before relocating his farming enterprise to Eltopia, WA in 1984 where he raised corn, alfalfa for hay and seed, corn, wheat, beans and asparagus. He installed first one and then a second pivot irrigation system and implemented other innovations allowing the land to reach its full potential. During the first years in Washington thousands of feet of concrete ditches were removed; hills flattened and truckload after truckload of rock removed by hand from the fields were haul away. Through his hard physical labor, engineering and mechanical creativity he developed a farm to be proud of.
Although retired since 2004 he continued to remain actively interested in the daily happenings on the farm. He was an avid reader of agricultural publications, early western history and family ancestral history. He enjoyed antique equipment museums and shows. He never met a museum he didn't like no matter the size. Bill loved to see "what was on the other side of the hill" on the many road trips he took. He snow skied well into his seventies. It was something they did as a family while in California. He and Carol traveled by car, airplane, river boat and cruise ship often in the past 20 years. The best trips were to visit his children and their families.
He and Carol were parents to a son Will and daughter Adrienne. Bill was immensely proud of their many achievements both in the classroom, sports and their adult professional careers, as well as the beautiful families they have and are nurturing to adulthood. Most importantly it gave him great satisfaction to know his children and grandchildren have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Bill is survived by his wife Carol; son Will and his wife Emily and their son Luke of San Diego as well as his daughter Adrienne and her husband Douglas along with their children Julianna, James and Sara of Austin.
A memorial service will be held at 12:00pm on Saturday February 10, 2024 at South Hills Church - 3700 West 27th Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99337
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the McFarland Living History Ranch c/o Galt Historical Society 204 Oak Ave, Galt, CA 95632.
November 10, 1929 - January 18, 2024
Eltopia, Washington - William O. Bland slipped from his earthly bounds on January 18, 2024 at Kadlec Medical Center from complications following a medical procedure. Bill was born November 10, 1929 in Martinez, CA to William and Evelyn Orr Bland. Ancestors from both sides of his family came from Scotland and England to settle in Placerville, California during the Gold Rush. He was very proud to be descended from strong pioneer stock.
He was an only child and spent his youth playing at the neighborhood park, delivering newspapers, biking to the next town to go swimming in the only pool in the county; trapping in the marshes of Cardinez Straits in a dugout canoe he made himself and working on his 32 Ford hot rod.
He bought his first horse in 1944 but soon realized city life was not a place for a horse. So he rode Betty from Martinez to Galt, CA in the Sacramento Valley some 70 miles distance. The trip took him 26 hours stopping along the way to rest the horse and sleeping on the ground. Galt was the location of the McFarland family ranch (on his mother's side) established in 1854 by his great uncle John McFarland, an immigrant from Scotland. Bill spent much of his summers as a young lad at the family farm learning what it took to become a farmer. His ties to the farm ran deep.
After graduation from UC Berkeley in 1952, Bill served two years in the Army as a member of the military police unit at the Presidio in San Francisco. Realizing a childhood dream he began farming on a parcel of the original McFarland/Orr Ranch after he was discharged. The summer of his eighth year of farming he met a young lady from his home town that happened to be visiting in the area. It was love at first sight for both of them. Bill and Carol were married the next spring celebrating 62 years together last February. Together they worked to create something from tired, worn out soil. Bill was the first in the area to use sprinkler irrigation; the first to build spillway dams to store water for irrigation use and the first to plant a walnut orchard.
Bill farmed in Galt for 30 years before relocating his farming enterprise to Eltopia, WA in 1984 where he raised corn, alfalfa for hay and seed, corn, wheat, beans and asparagus. He installed first one and then a second pivot irrigation system and implemented other innovations allowing the land to reach its full potential. During the first years in Washington thousands of feet of concrete ditches were removed; hills flattened and truckload after truckload of rock removed by hand from the fields were haul away. Through his hard physical labor, engineering and mechanical creativity he developed a farm to be proud of.
Although retired since 2004 he continued to remain actively interested in the daily happenings on the farm. He was an avid reader of agricultural publications, early western history and family ancestral history. He enjoyed antique equipment museums and shows. He never met a museum he didn't like no matter the size. Bill loved to see "what was on the other side of the hill" on the many road trips he took. He snow skied well into his seventies. It was something they did as a family while in California. He and Carol traveled by car, airplane, river boat and cruise ship often in the past 20 years. The best trips were to visit his children and their families.
He and Carol were parents to a son Will and daughter Adrienne. Bill was immensely proud of their many achievements both in the classroom, sports and their adult professional careers, as well as the beautiful families they have and are nurturing to adulthood. Most importantly it gave him great satisfaction to know his children and grandchildren have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Bill is survived by his wife Carol; son Will and his wife Emily and their son Luke of San Diego as well as his daughter Adrienne and her husband Douglas along with their children Julianna, James and Sara of Austin.
A memorial service will be held at 12:00pm on Saturday February 10, 2024 at South Hills Church - 3700 West 27th Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99337
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the McFarland Living History Ranch c/o Galt Historical Society 204 Oak Ave, Galt, CA 95632.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by Tri-City Herald from Feb. 4 to Feb. 7, 2024.
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